LOS ANGELES: Actor Omar Sharif was on Tuesday was ordered to undergo anger-management classes after pleading no contest to hitting a car park attendant in Beverly Hills.
Superior Court Judge Richard A. Stone placed Sharif on two years probation and ordered a 15-hour anger management program, which he can take in Egypt.
Sharif is currently in Egypt shooting the much anticipated TV series “Hanien we Hanan (Longing and Compassion). The big budget production has seen numerous stars come on board then leave unexpectedly over the past year. There are rumors that Ahmed Ramzy, Sharif’s friend and former co-star, would make an appearance in the series.
But while viewers and fans in the Middle East are more concerned with Sharif’s latest offerings – the series comes after a long absence from Arab screens in which the actor has reclaimed his status as a quality artist with works like “Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran (Monsieur Ibrahim and Flowers of the Quran) – his image in the US could be marred by the court order.
Sharif was also ordered to stay 100 yards away from the victim, witnesses and the restaurant where the incident occurred.
The judge set an April 18 hearing to determine the amount of restitution to the victim. Outside court, Braun said the victim was asking $17,000 for a broken nose.
It s a trial over a nose, Braun said.
A civil lawsuit filed by valet Juan Anderson alleged Sharif and a female companion were leaving a Beverly Hills steakhouse on June 11, 2005, when the actor became upset that his Porsche SUV was not waiting.
According to the lawsuit, Sharif was belligerent and intoxicated and called Anderson, a Guatemalan immigrant, a stupid Mexican when he refused to accept a $20 note.
Anderson alleged Sharif then punched him.
Defense attorney Harland Braun said he entered the plea on Sharif s behalf after unsuccessfully requesting that the actor be allowed to testify by satellite from Egypt.
A no contest plea is the same as a guilty plea for sentencing purposes in a criminal case, but it cannot be used as an admission of guilt in a civil case.
It didn t make any sense to do anything other than [plead] no contest once that option was not available, Braun said.
Braun said Sharif decided to plead no contest because it would cost too much to fly to Los Angeles and testify.
It didn t make much sense to try the case, Braun said, stressing the actor continues to deny wrongdoing. He s maintained that he didn t do it – but it s really difficult to come here to testify. As for Sharif s reaction to the case, Braun said: He was just disgusted with the whole system. Braun said the case dragged on in part because the victim refused to settle his suit for less than $750,000.
In August 2003, Sharif was convicted of striking a police officer at a casino near Paris. He received a one-month suspended sentence and a $1,700 fine. – Agencies
